Every few years massive flooding destroys the South African country of Mozambique, leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless, without water, food and shelter. In February 2000, torrential rains and massive flooding killed more than 600 people, while fourteen thousand were rescued by helicopter and thousands more were taken to safety by boat. Hundreds of thousands of people crowded into only dozens of emergency camps scattered across the southern part of the country.
The overwhelming number of victims needing immediate emergency aid inundated relief workers and exhausted local supplies. Attempting to administer first aid to masses of refugees was inefficient, at the cost of human lives. Under camp conditions, hepatitis, cholera, and other water-borne bacteria and diseases spread rapidly.
Water purifying stations were brought in for relief, but again, it was not enough to accommodate the sheer volume of refugees, forcing them to make long journeys to reach a purifying station or survive without clean water.
Agencies supplying shelter in the form of canvas tents were also unable to meet demands, leaving the majority of victims to huddle under plastic tarps. Still others had no shelter at all, left to the mercy of endless torrential downpours. Under these extreme and inhumane conditions, children were the first to suffer from disease, poor nutrition, and exposure.
Before the February 2000 floods, Mozambique, with an annual growth rate of 10 percent, had one of the most rapidly developing economies in Africa. The country is now on the brink of disaster. A report issued by the United Nations Environment Programme anticipates that Africa will face worsening weather conditions due to global warming, warning of more flooding in Mozambique coupled with drought and famine in other areas.
Water can be a dangerous element in disaster situations. From Mozambique to St. Louis, excessive rainfall and flash flooding can destroy an entire city and kill thousands of people. Dangerous currents carry away families, homes, towns, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake. Bodies of water even act as barriers to survivors trying to escape to safety.
There exists a need to provide a substantially-universal, relatively low-technology, and compact solution that incorporates the essential elements needed for human survival.